Notes / Commercial Description:
A Golden Rye IPA - An outstanding hop from New Zealand, Nelson Sauvin, is generously used throughout the brewing and dry-hopping of this unique beer. European rye is added for a smooth, malty addition to flavor. 1.065 OG 7% AB

Aromas are initially citrus (grapefruit) and light pineapple and earthy hops, with an underlying bit of bready, spicy rye and a touch of caramel malt. There is also a nice white vinous characteristic on the nose; must be those special Nelson Sauvin hops.

The tastes initially begin full and malty with bready and caramel flavors, but quickly shifts to the pleasantly bitter grapefruit and light pine hops with lesser notes of earthy hops. The flavors round out with a spicy and drying rye malt which adds another layer of complexity. The Nelson Sauvin hops add that nice light white wine flavors with a nice gooseberry spice in there as well.

Mouthfeel is sticky and coating but not overly so, the perfect amount for the style. Great carbonation and glorious sticky white hops lacing as I examine my half empty glass.

Overall this is freakin' awesome, my favorite Rye IPA and top 2 overall Rye beers I have ever had (The Bruery Rugbrod being the other). Some breweries totally botch rye and add too much where it is unpleasant or too little, but this is spot on. Highly recommended; I'm going to have to ship more of this from the West Coast. Wow top notch indeed.

Thanks to Alpine beer co for only being one hour drive away and letting me purchase a half and half case of this and Duet! Spoiled.

Bomber poured into an Alesmith "Decadence" tulip, Thanks Petr Zien

A:A beautiful rich golden cascade with a thick eggshell head that lingers and laces down the glass

S: Very pungent, right off the bat I get the grapefruit of the Savin hops and, like danny hipps, (look down the reviews a page) I can't shake the asphalt/tar aroma that is actually very compelling.

T: Extraordinary, a big botanical/citrus/floral wave with a mellow rye flavor bringing everthing together. Exhaling I still sense the aroma of the street after a rain on a hot day lingering on my tounge.. in the very best of ways, of course

M: Smooth and silky, some might call thick. Oily and slightly tingly. It leaves a beautiful residue on the mouth

D: Very fine. I would bathe in this stuff... of the few hoppy rye beers (and the fewer Nelson Sauvin varieties) I would call this a cut above
Cheers!

22oz. bottle poured into an imperial pint. Thanks to anacrime for the bottle!

(A)- Pours a hazed golden yellow color. Produced a great cap of white froth. Solid retention and plenty of lace left behind.

(S)- A nice burst of citrus up front: lemon, lime, grapefruit, and pineapple. Subtle pine behind the awesome citrus. Even has a light spicy zest in the far background.

(T)- Very nice. Similar to the smell. The same great burst of citrus, smooth and subtle caramel malt, and that same subtle zesty spice in the background.

(M)- A smooth/nice carbonation level. A great balance to it as well. Great citrus with a subtle balanced pine. Great malt balance too to make this quite harmonious.

(D)- Its been awhile since the IPA style has surprised or impressed me since the market is just flooded with them, but this one is quite excellent. A refreshing beer for a style that I have been bored with for awhile.

A: Light golden body that is almost lager like in it's appearance. A very light colored body wears a 2 1/2 finger hat of soapy foam. Lacing graces the class with wedding dress lacing. Mountains of lacing. Really quite a unique color for any IPA, but maybe not so much for a rye beer.

S: Blood oranges with some grapefruit zing and pineapple malt sweetness. A really deep metallic smell that I can only describe as "copper" like. This is really a very generous nose, there's so much spritzing and zesting that you can practically feel the citrus pores bursting as you hover your nose over the foam. Really just so vibrant, if this nose was an amp it would be at 11.

T: Very green up front with piney resins and nutty peanut oils. Just an amazingly subtle citrus note that is really like a light taste of pomello/grapefruit/blood orange. an amazingly soft hop linger is the pillow that catches your taste buds. Some mandarin and tangerine flesh adds some juiciness to an eventually rind centric finish. Hops really roll on the tongue throughout all flavors. Bright cereal grains are enjoyed in all their golden glory throughout.

M: A mouth with a highly refreshing micro-bubble sizzle. This sizzle is like boiling cooking oils on the tongue. This really adds to the sensation of spritzing citrus skins. Really quite an incredible treat of a mouth, this really allows fresh ingredients to shine. Top tier in the mouth, with a velvet pillow to soften the blows of flavor.

O: I have had this beer before out of a bottle, but this time it really just seemed so fantastic. I think the last time I had it might have been dampened by the fact that I had just been amazed by a first tasting of Duet. This beer is a stand alone juggernaut; a sensational rye IPA flavor experience. I dare you to name a better Rye IPA; as I can't. The freshness exemplified by all the different elements of this beer are just sensational. This is a theme park for the mouth; I am born anew.

Aroma is difficult to describe, but aside from some hops, there is a strange dampness to the smell, like the air just before it rains...difficult to describe, but I suspect it is the European rye that it is blended with that gives off the unusual nose. Smells like no other beer I have had.

Taste is another matter altogether: a precise blend of rye,hops,and malt create a unique flavor and finish. There is a distinct hopiness that is muted by the rye and the malts. Aftertaste is slightly bitter and enjoyable unlike some of the highly acidic beers brewed with rye that I have sampled. Medium bodied and quite smooth drinking.

Mouthfeel is medium,carbonation is lively moving everything along.

All in all, a really nice IPA with a rye twist. The funkiness of the aroma is a bit off, but outside of that, a solid effort from Alpine, and definitely worth a try.

Bottle in trade from a generous dude. Thanks! Pours a beautifully clear light golden color with big fluffy white two finger head. Massive aromatics coming from this, with grapefruits, sweet honey, flowers, more citrus, some creamy sweet wine like aroma as well. Not like anything I have smelled. Flavor begins with a light sweetness on the tongue, and explodes into raw hops, grassy, grapefruit, honey, melons. A nice bitter pine on the way down. The flavor has a pleasant creamy mouthfeel, with sweet honey and big juicy hops. So light on the palate, with medium high carbonation. Up there with the best of them, especially in the single IPA category.

First thing I smell when I pop the cap is spicy rye. Once Nelson is in the glass, I smell all kinds of delicious fresh hop aromas...grapefruit, orange, pineapple. A little grassy, with some white grape in there, too.

Well, the rye flavor isn't nearly as big as the aroma...which works just fine for me, because it adds a tasty dimension to the flavor without being overpoweringly spicy. Nelson is one of the more interesting IPA's I've tasted. Tons of citric hop flavor, without really being very bitter at all. The citrus/white grape/grass is a really, really interesting flavor combination. Nice spicy finish.

Medium bodied, with an appropriate carbonation level. No hint of ABV. This has scary drinkability. After having Duet not too long ago, I feel like I need to try the entire Alpine lineup. They certainly know how to make a drinkable IPA. Very good stuff.

This brew is a terribly hazy deep yellow hue with a white wispy head. The aroma of peaches, lychee, flowers is unmistakable. On the tongue it is juicy, with loads of hop flavor -- the intensity of which almost rivals a spicy saison! The bitterness level is mild to moderate -- it won't twist your tongue like Wipeout IPA for example. The rye is barely spicy, very mild, but contributes a lot to the middle. Smooth and ridiculously thirst quenching. The abv tastes like 3%! Light to medium bodied.

Overall: oh gawd, I must learn to brew this... a brilliant (rye) APA, and another brilliant beer for Alpine

5/9/09
Pint had at O'Brien's. Flavor was amazing and it was what I thought was missing in the growlers I purchased back in December. Grapefruit was bursting out of this beer like crazy. Light Grape-like flavor as described for the Nelson Sauvin hop was there as well. Just an amazingly tasty beer, which had been lacking for one reason or another in my growlers from the batch in December.
___

Growler filled 2 days ago.

A- Very light, gold, almost yellowish. Head builds up doesn't stick around that long. Just love the very light color of this. You could easily think this is a pils.

S- Big grapefruit. Also some of that juicy catty type flavor like you get in Gumballhead. The Pacific Brew News guys nailed that one... it is very much like Amarillo hops.

T- Hard to say what hop flavor I'm getting... maybe a tad fruity, a bit green. Hops taste really fresh. Nice bitterness the whole way and finishes pretty clean with only a small, soft lingering bitterness. I wish I could detect where the rye comes in here, probably cause the of lack of rye in my diet.

M- This serving is actually quite creamy- for an IPA, as light as the body is it must be the 7% alcohol slicking it up a little.

D- Really good. Doesn't leave a harsh bitterness like so many beers, which I do love, but this is very nice having a fairly clean hoppy finish.
4.5/4/4/4/4 = 4.1

What can I say, this beer defies gravity or something equally impressive. First off, it looks remarkable with this great Hefeweizen colored body under text book quality stark white lacing and calm, persistent, dense head.

Had it for the first time on draft at my buddies place (Strangers in El Centro) did indeed taste different from the Nelson 's of Alpine. Still an easy citrusy drink to have very good. Hopefully green flash can close the gap and make it a world class beer.

Poured from bottle into chilled pint glass. Surprisingly light yellow/orange color (thought it might be more cloudy & orange, based on smell). Relatively thin fluffy white head, which dissipated somewhat quickly. Lots of tiny bubbles, and good/sticky/even lacing throughout the quaff. On the nose, strong pine dominates over grapefruit/orange citrus notes. There is a distinct dankiness to the nose, which becomes all the more prominent upon first sip. As the beer settles and warms, the beer becomes more hoppy/piney/dank and less floral/citrusy on the palette, which is fine by me (that's how I like them, although a little more balance would be preferred here). Mouthfeel is full and coating. Alcohol burn is subdued until final points of the finish. All in all, I liked this very much. A very good example of West Coast style (reminds me a little of Sucks in that regard). Duet is better, but Nelson is a close second. Nice work, Alpine!

Thanks @tauroe for sharing this gem with me.
Pours hazy golden with huge white head and spectacular lacing. Smell and taste of citrus grapefruit orange lemon. Great full and creamy mouthfeel
Overall solid Nelson, would love to have again. Hill Farm Nelson a bit better

A: The IPA is a golden yellow color, radiant while retaining a hazy complexion. I don't have any notes on the head, so it wasn't that memorable. One of the palest rye beers I've seen.

S: Heaven in a glass. The Nelson Sauvin hops are lemony, sharp and and sweet. Surprisingly, they aren't overwhelming, allowing rye bread to share the stage. I can't spend enough time on the aroma, full and intoxicating. The hops are damn-near perfect.

T: The rye is most flavorful at the tail end of each sip, expressing a spicy bread flavor that is restrained. It's there but not in your face. Prior to the rye, the Nelson Sauvin hops run wild, all lemony citrus and herbal. Surprisingly, the hops aren't overdone in the ale. Rather than dominate, they create a moderate flavor burst that showcases then steps aside. That allows the nuance to be more fully enjoyed. Bitterness following the rye accentuates more herbal lemon. A great sipping ale.

M: Balance is the key to this IPA. The hops, while plenty flavorful, don't scorch the palate. The rye is a nice accompaniment.

D: A top notch IPA. The Nelson Sauvin hop should be used in more beers (wishful thinking). A stunning nose and solid body. More, many more, please.

I picked this one up at Walnut Liquorette yesterday, although the price tag was a bit of a turn-off, I've been wanting to try this one for awhile.

A: Nelson pours a clear, light golden color with a very thin layer of white foam and great lacing.

S: These Alpine IPAs (Nelson and Duet) have an amazingly sweet, fruity hop character that I rarely see in IPAs. Tons of tropical and citrus fruits and not much in the way of malt, but a hint of spice from the rye.

T: The initial flavor is piney and bitter, with a ton of grapefruit. The back-end of the sip features a bit of malt, rye, and that great tropical fruit on the finish.

M: There is low carbonation, and a medium body.

D: This is a dangerously drinkable beer. The excellent fruity hops make this so delicious and leave you wanting more. But at 7.1%, you need to watch out, as a bomber of this can do some damage.

Bottle picked up by my buddy ArthurPendragon. Consumed on 10/11/2009 and poured into a snifter. The beer is transparent straw golden with a creamy one inch head. Retention is good and a little lacing is scattered.

The nose is floral with prominent bitter grapefruit and a little orange pith. Pine notes are evident, as well as grassiness and a touch of mint. Malt imparts a low level of sweetness and the rye contributes a decided spiciness. When it warms up this beer smells so damn good and light tropical notes are apparent.

The taste opens up with bitter grapefruit and strong rye character which lends spicy notes. Other citrus notes are of orange and a little pineapple. I get just a little pine in the flavor. The beer has a bit more sweetness than Alpine's other IPAs but it's fitting. Bitterness is at an upper medium level and alcohol is faint.

The beer is upper light bodied with a sticky mouthfeel. To be honest the bottle could have used a bit more carbonation, but maybe it's just me as I typically prefer higher carbonation on IPAs. This is a fantastic beer. As of now I prefer this beer on tap.

A: Light golden with a small off white head
S: Wow, grapefruit.
T: Lots of grapefruit, a tiny background of sweet grainy malts, I do not detect anything distinct from the rye
M: Incredibly smooth with little hop astringency, but plenty of hop character.
O: This is now one of my favorite IPAs, this is an IPA for a non IPA fan.

Pours a clear light golden amber with a big fluffy white head that hangs on for quite a while and leaves decent lacing.

The aroma is wonderful, with massive pithy grapefruit, floral pine and grass up front. The rye spiciness is evident as well and it really makes this more original than most in the nose.

The taste seems to be a little less citrusy than the aroma. There is some grapefruit up front, but the sweet malts in the backbone are much more evident than in the aroma and finish is very spicy with the rye and bitter with pine resin and pineapple.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and well carbonated, but the rye makes it smoother than most IPAs and I think it adds to the feel overall.

This is another great IPA from Alpine, who has never disappointed me in this style. They are clearly making some of the best IPAs out there and I'm pumped they're bottling more of them. Highly recommended...obviously.

T - The rye and fruity note balance so nicely. Nelson character comes in so well and shines. Big hop and malt blows.

M - Nice carbonation, medium body and a spicy, fruity finish with a good but not overpowering bitterness.

O/D - Lovely stuff. So subtle but so complex as well. The spice and fruit work so well together. Excellent and drinkable for the ABV. I wasn't expecting a ton from this, but this was very impressive. Awesome.

Earthy bitterness at first gives way to a load of sweet and fruity hops. Citrus peel and even some grape? A sweeter malty presence shows up adding some nice balance and depth...uniquely sweet IPA, very tasty and complex...